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           AndIdaresayIwouldhavemadeagoodenoughprivate;forintheselasthoursitneveroccurredtomethatIhadanychoicebutjusttoobeyaslongasIwasable,anddieobeying.

           Daybegantocomein,afteryears,Ithought;andbythattimewewerepastthegreatestdanger,andcouldwalkuponourfeetlikemen,insteadofcrawlinglikebrutes.But,dearhearthavemercy!whatapairwemusthavemade,goingdoublelikeoldgrandfathers,stumblinglikebabes,andaswhiteasdeadfolk.Neverawordpassedbetweenus;eachsethismouthandkepthiseyesinfrontofhim,andlifteduphisfootandsetitdownagain,likepeopleliftingweightsatacountryplay;allthewhile,withthemoorfowlcrying“peep!”intheheather,andthelightcomingslowlyclearerintheeast.

           IsayAlandidasIdid.NotthateverIlookedathim,forIhadenoughadotokeepmyfeet;butbecauseitisplainhemusthavebeenasstupidwithwearinessasmyself,andlookedaslittlewhereweweregoing,orweshouldnothavewalkedintoanambushlikeblindmen.

           Itfellinthisway.Weweregoingdownaheatherybrae,AlanleadingandIfollowingapaceortwobehind,likeafiddlerandhiswife;whenuponasuddentheheathergavearustle,threeorfourraggedmenleapedout,andthenextmomentwewerelyingonourbacks,eachwithadirkathisthroat.

           Idon’tthinkIcared;thepainofthisroughhandlingwasquiteswallowedupbythepainsofwhichIwasalreadyfull;andIwastoogladtohavestoppedwalkingtomindaboutadirk.